Web Panels

Web Panels

Web panels allow the user to design a panel that interacts with the executing model. Web panels may be used on animated models or non-animated ones (allowing a client to interact with the model without needing Rhapsody at all).

Architecture

Web panels consist of:

· A Model Transformer: Uses Rhapsody’s Model Transformer capability to add additional elements to the intermediate model before the executable application is generated. The generated application is given an embedded web server that the Web Panel can communicate with.

· A Web Panel Receiver: an application that communicates with the embedded web server and hosts web panels.

· Web Panels: Web Panels sit on top of the Web Panel Receiver and provide the UI Layer in the form of Web Panel Views.

To construct a Web Panel:

1. Apply the Model Transformer

2. Start the Web Panel Receiver

3. Design Web Panel

Web Panels may be exported as bundles for users without Rhapsody to execute.

Web Panel Views

Web Panels have three available views:

· Debug: Automatically displays running instances and their data. Allows basic event injection.

· Designer: A drag-and-drop design tool to build a Web Panel using widgets like buttons and displays.

· Runtime: Intended for end-user use – uses the same view as Designer but without the design controls.

Views have navigation links to switch to other views:

The Web Panel communicates with the embedded web server in the generated executable model. To commence a design or simply use the panel, both the Web Panel receiver and the executable model must both be running although they may be started in either order. The design view includes indicators that show if:

· The hosted web page is connected to the receiver.

· The receiver is connected to the executable model.